7 Simple Ways to Triage Cattle from Flies

Flies aren't just a nuisance to livestock. The pests can also create serious issues that affect the overall health and wellbeing of your herd. Knowing how to triage cattle from flies will prevent undue stress on your animals and help keep them healthy and profitable.

There are a number of different fly management strategies available:

• Prevent pink eye

• Spray with topical solutions

• Use premise spray

• Utilize traps

• Employ baits

• Use feed additives

• Add garlic to feed

By following the simple guidelines below, you can start developing an effective fly control program.

1. Prevent Pink Eye

Cattle can injure their eyes by swatting their tails at the irritating flies, which can also spread pink-eye pathogens. Highly contagious and difficult to contain and control, a pink-eye outbreak can potentially affect your entire herd.

In addition to causing pain and stress to cattle, the disease can also lead to lower productivity, reduced body weight, reduced milk production, blindness, and even death in severe cases, according to Kansas State University.

Read more